Proof positive that Russell Wilson is a game manager

[GoChargers]

The Seattle Seahawks advanced to the Super Bowl in one of the most improbable comebacks in playoff history. Russell Wilson completed his final five passes, including a game-winning 35-yard touchdown in overtime to Jermaine Kearse.

Before the final five minutes and overtime, however, Wilson was abysmal. He threw a career-high four interceptions and became the second player in the Super Bowl era to win a postseason game with that many picks. Through three quarters, Wilson had a 0.2 Total QBR, and although he increased that number to 13.6 with his late-game heroics, Wilson finished the game with the lowest Total QBR in a postseason win since 2006.

This is not the first time that Seattle has won despite Wilson’s inefficiency. In fact, since 2012, Wilson’s first year in the league, the Seahawks have 15 wins in which their quarterback posted a below-average Total QBR, five more than any other team in the NFL. That includes both of Seattle’s NFC Championship wins during that time.

Since Wilson entered the league, he has a 63.7 Total QBR in the regular season and playoffs, which ranks eighth among 31 qualified quarterbacks. Wilson deserves credit for his above-average QBR during that time, but does that equate to a 42-13 (.764 win percentage) career record?

Based on Wilson’s game-level QBRs in the last three seasons, he has almost 10 more wins than expected. No other player has six more wins than expected during that time.

So how have Wilson and the Seahawks been able to defy the odds? One word: defense.

In the last three seasons, the Seahawks have contributed 4.4 points per game to their net scoring margin on defense, by far the best defensive efficiency in the NFL. Only Alex Smith (2.1) and Andy Dalton (2.1) have had defenses that contributed more than two expected points per game in their starts during that time.

Seattle’s defense has a knack for playing its best when Wilson and the offense are at their worst. Since the start of 2012, Wilson has had 22 games with a QBR below 50, including 15 wins. In those games, Seattle has held its opponents to an average QBR of 34.0 and has had a per-game defensive efficiency of +7.3. In Wilson’s games with an above-average QBR, the Seahawks have allowed a 45.7 average QBR and have had a +2.4 defensive efficiency rating.

http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/po...russell-wilson

[Joe Seahawk]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Exactly what I'm saying.

But I disagree on your second sentence. If those 3 retire tomorrow, you would still take Wilson over the following QB's?

Big Ben
Luck
Eli (look at his year last year with better talent)
Joe Flacco
Rodgers

Only Luck and Rogers make me think for a second

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Joe Seahawk

Dwight Clarks "the catch" wls after Montana threw 3 picks.

Yep, it's super easy, you should never struggle in the playoffs.. Idiots!

Well said.

Don't let the CP homer brigade get you down, they will tear down any QB to give themselves a shred of hope where Alex Smith is concerned.

Shit, last offseason several people here insisted Alex was better than Big Ben.

The True Fans keep having to learn their lessons the hard way...enjoy your success and downfield passing.

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by Joe Seahawk

Dwight Clarks "the catch" was after Montana threw 3 picks.

Yep, it's super easy, you should never struggle in the playoffs.. Idiots!

not old enough to remember that, but that is pretty hilarious to me

people shit all over Wilson for playing terrible (and he was bad) for the first 55 minutes ... but 2 of those picks were not his fault at all ... and the other 1 to Kearse in the end zone ... I mean, come on ... help your QB out.

but then he gets the ball in OT after scoring 2 TD's in regulation ... and makes two of the prettiest passes you'll see ... and all anyone wants to talk about is the 4 picks.

...if Brady had that same game, with that same finale, he would have added to his legend and everyone would have ran around here talking about how he's the clutchest player ever and omg omg omg he just gets it done when it counts?

Russell? 4 picks!

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Exactly what I'm saying.

But I disagree on your second sentence. If those 3 retire tomorrow, you would still take Wilson over the following QB's?

Big Ben
Luck
Eli (look at his year last year with better talent)
Joe Flacco
Rodgers

Haha Flacco? Top Five? Never.

Eli's pretty old too.

Nope, Wilson will be top five shortly.

[RunKC]

Clay,

Do you disagree that several (not necessarily all) of the following QB's would have won the SB playing QB for Seattle last season?

Big Ben
Luck
Eli
Flacco
Rodgers
Romo
Ryan
Brady
Manning
Brees

[Hootie]

Originally Posted by RunKC

No. He started to become an elite QB when he took them to multiple SB's AFTER he won 3 and those players from his glory years left.

ok

so when Brady and Manning is debated ... don't you think you should apply this to the debate?

Brady won 3 Super Bowls, in your opinion, as a game manager with an elite team.

After those Super Bowls, he transformed his game and became ELITE, and since that transformation he has 0 Super Bowl wins and 2 AFCCG losses to Peyton Manning.

so how is Brady better than Manning? I'm pretty sure Manning was Andrew Luck level ELITE from the second he walked into the NFL. Right?

Or does this not fit your narrative?

[GoChargers]

Originally Posted by Hootie 2.0

GoChargers literally said he would let Russell Wilson walk before he'd give him an extension.

This is an actual post.

...it's just, wow

You still have yet to explain how someone as totally dependent on the running game and defense as Wilson is deserves to be the highest-paid quarterback in the league.

[RunKC]

Also,

Alex Smith is not Russell Wilson, but their situations are strikingly similar as both are called game managers with elite surrounding talent.

Alex Smith is the great value version of Russell Wilson. Good enough to get by, but not enjoy the real thing.

[GoChargers]

Give Rivers Pete Carroll as coach, Marshawn Lynch, and that defense, and he'd look like the best QB in the league.

[Hootie]

and I still find it fantastically hilarious that Andrew Luck is just accepted as elite and that's that.

dude will end up being ELITE, I totally agree

as of right now?

If Russell Wilson isn't elite, Andrew Luck isn't even close to elite

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Russell Wilson did literally nothing in the Saints playoff win.
Then he had one good play to score a mere 7 of the teams 23 points. No mention of Lynch scoring a 40 yard TD run and the defense getting 2 INT's (one winning them the game and sending them to the SB).

Then the Seahawks anally raped Denver by defense. But lets give credit to the Wilson for throwing a quick 7 yard slant that turned into a long TD because Denver's DB's missed 3 tackles.

I'd take Luck over Wilson any day and so would 95% of league and its fans (exclusion=Hootie and all of Seattle's bandwagoners)

We know what Russell Wilson did in the 4th quarter against the Packers
Russell Wilson went 8-8 on 3rd downs against Carolina
He went a stunning 58% on 3rd downs against Denver in the Super Bowl
Had a 104.6 QB rating against San Fran

Wilson has been mostly excellent in the playoffs.

[keg in kc]

Trying to compare Brady to Wilson is like tying to compare Apples to Agent Orange. Completely different teams that play completely different brands of football which ask their quarterbacks to do completely different things. Not to mention that one is creeping towards the end of a long career during which he's managed to play at a very high level, including several 4000 yard seasons and nine AFC championship games, while the other is at the beginning.

I think a closer comparison to Russel Wilson *at this point* would be Troy Aikman. Who people also called a game manager because he played on a team heavily reliant on the running game and defense, who also won championships early. It's just the way perception goes. Guys who throw the ball 400 or 450 times a season just can't put up the kind of stats that guys who throw it 550 for 600 times do, so there's a perception that they're less. It's been that way for as long as I can remember and it's pretty much pointless to try to argue against it.

Or maybe go toward the question of longevity. Ben Roethlisberger, still the youngest superbowl winning QB, led the Steelers to two championships in his first four years. Fast forward to today. Is he still among the elite? You'd probably see a lot of argument about that. The same thing may (or may not) happen with Wilson. Odds are he won't stay on top forever. Not many do. But it could happen.

Of course the real central issue is people getting butt hurt over the use of the term "game manager". When in reality every successful quarterback is going to be a game manager. Brady's a game manager. Trick is he's asked to throw the ball a whole lot more than Wilson, because that offense is completely reliant upon him. I think that's where the real difference in perception between the two of them lies. So far.

Wilson puts up some Drew Brees seasons and I doubt anybody will talk about him as a game manager.

[Hootie]

alright guys!

I FIGURED OUT HOW TO WIN IN THE NFL!

ELITE DEFENSE AND RUNNING GAME ... AND ALEX SMITH AT QB

That's what they do in Seattle and they've won 5 straight playoff games!

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Alex Smith is the great value version of Russell Wilson.

Just use the term "poverty."

[Joe Seahawk]

Originally Posted by GoChargers

Give Rivers Pete Carroll as coach, Marshawn Lynch, and that defense, and he'd look like the best QB in the league.

Replace Rivers with Wilson and you may be in the super bowl tomorrow.